The Edmonton Oilers are in a bad spot now, and with a 4-13-2 record to start the season you would be reading some 'fire the coach' articles by now if this were any other franchise. The thing is, they've done that already, seemingly every summer since 2009. I guess they could fire a coach in-season, but I don't think that is going to happen. The alternative? A wild and crazy ride.

Do you remember the famous line uttered by every GM who ever fired a coach? It goes "well, you can't fire all 23 players" and is followed by knowing nods from all gathered for the media conference. I think we're about the see the reverse, kind of a "well, you can't fire 23 coaches" plan.

It started with Ladislav Smid. Dallas Eakins didn't give him a lot of time on the Smid-Petry tandem and honestly Smid's skill set doesn't really fit the Eakins template (get puck, move puck, rinse, repeat) for puck handling. The Oilers sent away Smid partly for cap savings into the next seasons, and that may be the case with more players as the MacT-Eakins tandem makes more final decisions on who can and cannot handle the Eakins way.

Sam Gagner may be in some peril as a center in this system. It's early, and he's coming back from injury, but he's been exposed on this road trip by eye and by math--he's not in good positions, doesn't win enough battles and when he's not helping offensively 89 doesn't do enough without the puck to warrant top line minutes.

Dallas Eakins is the first coach in forever Edmonton has employed to deliver results without worrying too much about talent development. Eakins has to nurse Yakupov a little, but other than that it's a results oriented business and those who can't or won't will be shot out of a cannon to their new home.

Bottom line: Dallas Eakins has a right to ask each player on the ice to be defensively responsible. We've been talking about systems but these aren't new ideas brought from Mars, these are defensive tactics that require a player to adjust to the situation and mark his man. The results so far show some players have been able to adjust and flourish despite some stumbles, and others appear lost. Gagner has played far fewer games than the others, so there may be a sense that he can recover over time--however, at some point he's going to pay for indifference or inability with lost playing time, a change in position, or a ticket out of town.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

It began with Belov replacing Smid on the top 4, and resulted in Smid being sent away. Next step: Mark Arcobello at center, Gagner to the wing. The Edmonton Oilers have lost the season already and that is a horrible reality. The next logical step is to refine the roster to better reflect Dallas Eakins, culling those who don't fit and adding those who are a better match.

Stay close to your internet, this is going to get choppy.

Lowetide has been one of the Oilogosphere's shining lights for over a century. You can check him out here at OilersNation and at lowetide.ca. He is also the host of Lowdown with Lowetide weekday mornings 10-noon on TSN 1260.

I'm not giving Eakins a pass ether, this guy just recently had Gagner out in the last 30 seconds of a game to take a draw against arguable the best faceoff man in the NHL.

The Oilers never regained control.........I'm mean who seen that happening!

Eakins system until recently had to be modified because his swarm system was being dominated by other teams especially down low, he had to revert back to basic zone without the puck. Not to mention his PK sucks, his PP is awful, he played Gagner line power for power on the road and got dominated, yet surprisingly kept them on? He singles out an individual players for lousy turn over yet doesn't punish the biggest culprits in turnovers because somehow it's ok that Hall, Eberle, Hemsky, Gagner are allowed to turn it over.?

If Katz hires a new POHO which if he doesn't is a bigger fool then Lowe, your going to see a new GM & a new coach.

The whole system needs to be flushed including the coach.

Makes one wonder if Eakins is challenging Gagner to prove he is a legit 2nd line Center after 7 years in the league? If you think about it...MacT gave Gagner a ringing endorsement and a contract to along with it.....Eakins might not want to show up his boss ....so he's playing Gagner as though MacT's ringing endorsement is true!.....really it's the only explanation that makes any sense.

He's simply playing Gagner as though Gagner IS the guy that MacT says he is.

Quick poll:
Would you trade away Gagner, Eberle, Justin Schultz and David Perron IF if it resulted in that the team would make playoffs?

I would trade anybody if the return made us a consistent playoff team from year to year. I would definitely be looking into trading Gagner. I would be exploring the market for what Eberle could fetch. Justin Schultz needs to improve his D big time or he will never be a reliable top 4 Dman. I really like Perron's game. He's our gritties top 6 forward and is both a scorer and playmaker.

When you have sucked as much as we have for as long as we have, you really can't afford to put blinders on and overlook any options. We all have our theories as to why but we can all agree on thing: the plan isn't working.

I hope we get that piece of **** Gagner out of edmonton before his NTC kicks him. I don't care how, he can have a career ending injury for all I care. For someone who's name means win in french, he sure knows how to lose us lot of games. Get that ***hole, send him on the plane.

My only hope is that Mr Bagdi in the KHL pans out. Big, strong, 10 points in 22 games.

Do you people actually believe what you are seeing from Gagner is how he will stay? This blog is full of idiots. He shouldn't be playing. That's the problem. He rushed back because of the record. He can't take or throw a hit because of his jaw. People calling him soft are stupid. He and Perron are the only ones with grit in the top 6. Before the jaw Gagner regularly threw a hit and has 4-5 NHL fights (I don't know the exact number) His faceoff percentage? He's had great games and terrible games. That face mask DOES effect it a lot. If you think it doesn't put one on and see how it effects your vision. Wait until he's 100% and has that mask off. Than the Gagner we know will be back.

Gagner should never play centre especially with Arcs as a proven option. As far as the rest of the team, hopefully they will play a less stressful game when Bryz takes his place between the pipes. DD has shown that he can not be trusted to make the saves that are important to win the games. Whatever happened to him in the off season that has him such a hot mess, has really taken a toll on his performance. What a disappointing season for everyone. I wasn't expecting to make it to the post season, but I certainly didn't see this coming.

Makes one wonder if Eakins is challenging Gagner to prove he is a legit 2nd line Center after 7 years in the league? If you think about it...MacT gave Gagner a ringing endorsement and a contract to along with it.....Eakins might not want to show up his boss ....so he's playing Gagner as though MacT's ringing endorsement is true!.....really it's the only explanation that makes any sense.

He's simply playing Gagner as though Gagner IS the guy that MacT says he is.

It's called sink or swim.

If that's the case then do you think Eakins is on board with MacTavish? If Eakins is on board with MacTavish then that's another ringing enforcement for incompetence on both part.

If Eakins is trying to show MacTavish that Gagner is "not" the centre going forward why would he do it at the expense of losing the game?

Remember it just wasn't that faceoff in the dying minute of the game, he had Gagner out the the whole game against the toughs and being dominated, especially defensively .

Why would Eakins put himself in that position to fail?

While you maybe right, I find myself questioning Eakins a lot more lately, while some of his earlier mistakes can be attributed to being a rookie, I can't say that for the last while.

Nothing will improve until management is held accountable. If management isnt held accountable then why would anyone else in an organization feel the need to be accountable?

All the moves that we can talk about and all the systems that can be implemented are meaningless. How can one possibly believe that the people who took 7 years to make this team completely incompetent will be the people who fix it?

Trade everyone, trade no one. It will make no difference because the team has the worst management in the league and the last 7 seasons prove it.

All the articles are just verbal masturbation. Might make one feel good for a short term but in the big picture completely meaningless.

I didn't watch the game yesterday and the end result justifies my decision. Stop watching the games until ownership shows actual character. It is the only way my ON brothers and sisters. The greedy pig Katz only understands dollars lets us stop feeding his greed.

This is %100 MacT getting the wool pulled over his eyes by a average coach with a good sales pitch.

I heard from a very reliable source that he wasn't in the running for the job in Vancouver and that Eakins himself "leaked his 'candidacy' for the Canucks job to the media." Maybe that's just sour grapes from the Canucks but it certainly seems plausible to me. Given the choice as an Oiler fan, Who wouldn't rather see Torts behind the bench right now?

One former NHL player no longer associated with the Oilers but still prominent from a league standpoint said off the record that Eakins is "far better at marketing himself than actually coaching hockey."

If we take an objective look at this team I think we can agree it isn't a cup contender. I think we could also we agree that Tippett, Trotz, Babcock, Krueger, etc would have them above .500 and actually developing.

Don't see 89 going anywhere. Has a NTC that kicks in next year and a verbal assurance that he is safe this year. I'm guessing if management had a do over they would have traded him 2 years ago but they didn't and that would also imply they made a mistake so maybe not.

Unless they are willing sell at 20 cents on the dollar, they aren't moving anybody of substance from the so-called core.

When you are dealing from 26th place or lower over the past 4 to 5 years, who really will give any value to the roster. Look at Smid - nothing but a minor leaguer and a prospect - and he was playing in the top 4 for Edmonton.

Can't see many bold moves coming from YEG unless it involves MacT grabbing a brass rail.

Maybe a few deadline deals, but that will likley amount to more futures and likely not high end - potential sure bets either.

By the end of 2013/14 is in the books, this may be the most dark and sobering time in the last few years of the overhaul. They were selling hope and people were buying, but now it would appear that patience is a scant commodity that few of the fan base has left.

I am not sure of this Dallas Eakins, how did we get so much worse this year?? I believe our skill set excluding goalie tandem got better this year so again I ask how did we get so much worse?? I think it has to be the system that the coach Eakins is trying to implement!! It's obvious the players are not buying into it. There is no emotion on this team. No sence of urgency at all. It's actually sad. Also would like to thank upper management for not addressing the problems before we were eliminated from the playoffs. GET RID OF LOWE NOW, Kevin that is haha. Nice move by signing BRYZ but a little to late. He's gonna have a breakout year we are still gonna miss playoffs and BRYZ is Gona take his cash and peace right out if the NorthPole and we are gonna be stuck with this god awe full mess Kevin Lowehas created!!! No wonder Lowes kid didn't want to get drafted here he new is father had destroyed this franchise!!

Do you people actually believe what you are seeing from Gagner is how he will stay? This blog is full of idiots. He shouldn't be playing. That's the problem. He rushed back because of the record. He can't take or throw a hit because of his jaw. People calling him soft are stupid. He and Perron are the only ones with grit in the top 6. Before the jaw Gagner regularly threw a hit and has 4-5 NHL fights (I don't know the exact number) His faceoff percentage? He's had great games and terrible games. That face mask DOES effect it a lot. If you think it doesn't put one on and see how it effects your vision. Wait until he's 100% and has that mask off. Than the Gagner we know will be back.

The Gagner we know is what has us IDIOTS wanting him traded. You post as though this is a new thing. He should have been gone at the trade deadline last year but noooo! Grit? Give your head a shake and take off your rose coloured glasses. This is and. Will always be about the team, not one player!

This is %100 MacT getting the wool pulled over his eyes by a average coach with a good sales pitch.

I heard from a very reliable source that he wasn't in the running for the job in Vancouver and that Eakins himself "leaked his 'candidacy' for the Canucks job to the media." Maybe that's just sour grapes from the Canucks but it certainly seems plausible to me. Given the choice as an Oiler fan, Who wouldn't rather see Torts behind the bench right now?

One former NHL player no longer associated with the Oilers but still prominent from a league standpoint said off the record that Eakins is "far better at marketing himself than actually coaching hockey."

If we take an objective look at this team I think we can agree it isn't a cup contender. I think we could also we agree that Tippett, Trotz, Babcock, Krueger, etc would have them above .500 and actually developing.

Absolutely plausible.

Gillis, from day one, indicated he wanted to hire a veteran coach for his veteran team.

Don't see 89 going anywhere. Has a NTC that kicks in next year and a verbal assurance that he is safe this year. I'm guessing if management had a do over they would have traded him 2 years ago but they didn't and that would also imply they made a mistake so maybe not.

Unless they are willing sell at 20 cents on the dollar, they aren't moving anybody of substance from the so-called core.

When you are dealing from 26th place or lower over the past 4 to 5 years, who really will give any value to the roster. Look at Smid - nothing but a minor leaguer and a prospect - and he was playing in the top 4 for Edmonton.

Can't see many bold moves coming from YEG unless it involves MacT grabbing a brass rail.

Maybe a few deadline deals, but that will likley amount to more futures and likely not high end - potential sure bets either.

By the end of 2013/14 is in the books, this may be the most dark and sobering time in the last few years of the overhaul. They were selling hope and people were buying, but now it would appear that patience is a scant commodity that few of the fan base has left.

Choppy indeed...........

Your take on the Smid trade is short sighted in my opinion. I think you will be impressed when you see Horak play and Brossoit is a much better prospect than Roy I think. 3.5 off the books for a slow, poor puck handling (yes, he had grit) defence man that couldn't fit into the scheme is fine with me. I wish him the best though, he was a good soldier but something has to give and I am sure some of us will not agree with the trades to come when they happen. Par for the course.
See what I did there with the golf reference. Come on, that's funny.

Gillis, from day one, indicated he wanted to hire a veteran coach for his veteran team.

Eakins doesn't qualify.

Difference here is that we really don't qualify as a veteran team. Not compared to Vancouver anyways. I want to see Eakins given the full season to implement his way of doing things before I pass judgement. We weren't making the play offs anyway.

Difference here is that we really don't qualify as a veteran team. Not compared to Vancouver anyways. I want to see Eakins given the full season to implement his way of doing things before I pass judgement. We weren't making the play offs anyway.

Then what?

If the Oilers continue to stink for the rest of the season, what do you do next?

Said all last year trade gagner. Sell high. I feel for the guy with the broken jaw but he is being outplayed by arcobello, another guy I'd sell high on.

Move Arco and a pick for Andersen in Anaheim (similar to the bishop trade)

I'm interested in Colin Wilson personally. 6'1 215lbs who has been groomed under trotz. I believe he was drafted as a centre but could be ready to actually play centre now. He would be an interesting replacement t for gagner. I also like the idea of inquiring on Matthias or goc in Florida

Difference here is that we really don't qualify as a veteran team. Not compared to Vancouver anyways. I want to see Eakins given the full season to implement his way of doing things before I pass judgement. We weren't making the play offs anyway.

so if we are at 8-28-5 at the halfway point will you still have the same opinion?

Your take on the Smid trade is short sighted in my opinion. I think you will be impressed when you see Horak play and Brossoit is a much better prospect than Roy I think. 3.5 off the books for a slow, poor puck handling (yes, he had grit) defence man that couldn't fit into the scheme is fine with me. I wish him the best though, he was a good soldier but something has to give and I am sure some of us will not agree with the trades to come when they happen. Par for the course.
See what I did there with the golf reference. Come on, that's funny.

Horak couldn't make the Calgary Flames roster.

He was 7th on a good Abbotsford team in scoring with 2 goals in 13 games and -2.

Rookie Corban Knight has twice as many points, 6 goals and is +7.

MacT traded an actual NHL player (and I'm not a big Smid fan) for the type of player you can pick off the waiver wire or the remainder bin in free agency and some magic beans.

I wouldn't love them dealing the last three at all but if it meant the playoffs I wouldn't boycott the team if they dealt the first three for a legit top 2 defender and some top 9 forwards with size and drive. But Perron does all the things that the Oiler forwards have refused to do in the last 7 years. Go hard to the net, create confusion, piss off the opposition, backcheck, and generally play a well rounded game and do all the little things. You can tell St Louis and Hitch rubbed off on him.

I'm not saying Perron is perfect but Hall and Perron by far have been the most consistent and the best performing forwards. If the Oilers had 12 guys up front who played like these two the Oilers wouldn't be out of the playoffs by the first week of November.

If the Oilers continue to stink for the rest of the season, what do you do next?

I guess that would depend on who is available. Maybe a veteran coach with Eakins staying on as an assistant along with Acton. Then bring in Kevin Dineen to fill out the staff an punt Bucky & Smith. How's that for off the top of my head.

I guess that would depend on who is available. Maybe a veteran coach with Eakins staying on as an assistant along with Acton. Then bring in Kevin Dineen to fill out the staff an punt Bucky & Smith. How's that for off the top of my head.

Your take on the Smid trade is short sighted in my opinion. I think you will be impressed when you see Horak play and Brossoit is a much better prospect than Roy I think. 3.5 off the books for a slow, poor puck handling (yes, he had grit) defence man that couldn't fit into the scheme is fine with me. I wish him the best though, he was a good soldier but something has to give and I am sure some of us will not agree with the trades to come when they happen. Par for the course.
See what I did there with the golf reference. Come on, that's funny.

I'm not saying that Brossoit (sp??) will not turn into a valuable part. What I am saying is that what other teams' top 4 defensemen would be worth a depth forward part time nhl-er and some long term potential?

Your point about the 3.5 salary being upside down for what you get is well taken, however it just illustrates more of the problem. Ference - useful but overpay, Gordon - desperately fills a hole but is really to some degree an overpay. Smid was an overpay, Gagner is an overpay.

When you have to overpay players to come here and they are paid above their job description its like death by paper cut.

Edmonton is counting on value coming from some of their later draft picks and that hasn't come to fruition to this point and it is killing them.

When you go to trade a player that is not playing up to their contract, then you are typically forced to take less talent back or another bad contract.

Makes it nearly impossible to improve the roster via trade. Basically the GM is left hoping that when trading his under-performer for somebody elses under-performer will end up paying dividends.

Even the 93, 4, and 14 $6 mil contracts are overpays at the beginning but there again, management is banking on value on the back half of the deal.

If things don't start to fall the Oiler's way in the next 2 seasons, this whole rebuild will have been an unmitigated disaster & they will be starting at ground zero again.

Management will have to come up with a couple magic tricks based on all of the obstacles that lie in front of them to prevent that from happening.

so if we are at 8-28-5 at the halfway point will you still have the same opinion?

How about a similar record at the trade deadline?

I am hopeful that a couple more moves (please) by MacT will improve the mix. I just don't see the need to continue the revolving door for coaches because we think the players aren't at fault here. Eberle has been invisible in the defensive zone along with Hemsky, Yak and many others. Eakins doesn't play the game. The players carry the ultimate responsibility for our situation. The effort level on most nights tells us this.

Best thing for this team right now is not to worry about the standings and just focus on building a sound defensive system and a right mix of players. Let the chips fall where they may. I hope they don't decide to tank to get yet another high round pick. And I hope they understand that the playoffs are a statistical improbability at this point.

I'm not saying that Brossoit (sp??) will not turn into a valuable part. What I am saying is that what other teams' top 4 defensemen would be worth a depth forward part time nhl-er and some long term potential?

Your point about the 3.5 salary being upside down for what you get is well taken, however it just illustrates more of the problem. Ference - useful but overpay, Gordon - desperately fills a hole but is really to some degree an overpay. Smid was an overpay, Gagner is an overpay.

When you have to overpay players to come here and they are paid above their job description its like death by paper cut.

Edmonton is counting on value coming from some of their later draft picks and that hasn't come to fruition to this point and it is killing them.

When you go to trade a player that is not playing up to their contract, then you are typically forced to take less talent back or another bad contract.

Makes it nearly impossible to improve the roster via trade. Basically the GM is left hoping that when trading his under-performer for somebody elses under-performer will end up paying dividends.

Even the 93, 4, and 14 $6 mil contracts are overpays at the beginning but there again, management is banking on value on the back half of the deal.

If things don't start to fall the Oiler's way in the next 2 seasons, this whole rebuild will have been an unmitigated disaster & they will be starting at ground zero again.

Management will have to come up with a couple magic tricks based on all of the obstacles that lie in front of them to prevent that from happening.

IMHO

Agreed. Maybe in two years we get McDavid. Maybe that is the magic trick you are eluding to. LOL

He was 7th on a good Abbotsford team in scoring with 2 goals in 13 games and -2.

Rookie Corban Knight has twice as many points, 6 goals and is +7.

MacT traded an actual NHL player (and I'm not a big Smid fan) for the type of player you can pick off the waiver wire or the remainder bin in free agency and some magic beans.

Having $3.5M off the books is useless unless you use it.

Dumb trade.

MacT has made a lot of moves, more good than bad in my humble opinion. I trust that he has a well thought out plan in place. Tambellini was a stop gap GM, brought in to guide the troops to daylight and then step aside, he was necessary and I appreciate his time.

Horak is a clear upgrade over Acton based on comparing their AHL stats. Bryzgalov should knock at least 1 goal off our current GAA once he's going, and who's to say MacT isn't very close to locking up our top tier D man this week?

Oh please. I'm not sold on Eakins but lets not get too carried away here.

A lot of things are plausible. You know what else is? That Vancouver interviewed him and tried to hire him, but he chose Edmonton because they did a better sell job (and anyone who handles the Luongo/Schneider fiasco as poorly as Gillis did isn't much more credible than the current Oilers braintrust).